Tap plate for dancing shoes



April 18, 1933. J. SELVA TAP PLATE FOR DANCING SHOES Filed Dec l7 1951 INVENTOR. JAMES SEL VA W A TORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 18, 1933 V UNITED STATES:

."rmEssELvA; or nauimnzron, NEW YORK TAP PLATE FOR Bending sum.)

Application filed December 17', 193;. Serial 6. $131,573. j

plates heretofore used only cover said front portion so that'when the edge of the sole is employed to tap, the plate does not contact the 'floor, with the result th'ata different sound is produced and considerable wear is occasioned on the sole and upper of the shoe.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a plate having a portion which engages over the edge of the sole of a shoe so that it can be utilized to strike the floor and at the same time protectthe covered portion of the sole and the part of theshoe upper adjacent thereto.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description, whentaken in connection'with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe showing the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the tap plate constructed in accordance with the in- 'vention;

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof; and V Figure {1 is afragmentary longitudinal section taken through the shoe, showing the plate applied theret i I The invention is illustrated in its applica- 40 tion to the toe portion of a shoe, but it will be understood, of course, that the plate, by slightly altering its shape, may also be constructed'for application to the heel of said shoe and, in this connection, .whereverin the following description referenceis'made to the sole of the shoe, this term is intended to also include 'the'heel. p i

Referring more particularly to the draw;

ing, the numeral 5 indicates a shoe which may beconstructed particularlyfor'dancing purpolses and which is provided with the usual i so e6. v i The tap plate, which includes the essential feature of the invention; is madeoffjany suitable light metal and comprises abodypor-" tion' "71 shapedfto -conform substantially to thecontour of the :forward endor tip portion of the sole 6 and issecured thereto by suitable fasteners 8 extending through a' plurality of apertures 9 formed in the plate; Along the edge of thebody portion 7 adjacent the edge of the sole "6,the plate is provided with a laterally extending flange .10, preferably'having its greatest'width at, the

tip endof the sole and gradually tapering rearwardly toward the back of the plate. Adjacent the point of'greatest width of the V flange, the same is wider than the thickness r of the sole 6 so as to fully cover that portion 7 V of its edgealong which the flange extendsym andalso cover the portion of the tip of they shoe upper adjacent said sole. Thus, when a dancing step is employedrin which the edge of the sole and tip of the shoe would ordi-' narily be usedto strike the floor or dancing surface, the flange 10 instead comesin con-- tact with said surface and thereby produces the same sound as when the-body portion of I the plate is tapped,'and further protects the edge of the sole and tip of the shoe upper against excessive wear. j 7

. What is claimed is:. 1. A tap plate for dancing shoes formed of light metal and comprising arelatively-flat body portion adapted to be connected to andi substantially only cover that portion of the sole of the shoe beneath the toes and having a concavity at its rear end, and aperipheral substantially vertical flange projecting upwardly from the front and side edges of saidf bodylof the shoe to which the plate is secured,

said flange being of a depth or height at said front end greater thanthe thickness of the r sole of the dancing shoe to which it is adapted r to be applied, and being adapted to engage the edge of the sole-at thesides, the height I of said flange and the thickness of said body gradually tip of the plate.

2; tap plate fordancing shoes form d f; 1.0o u

decreasing rearwardly from the p light metal and comprising a relatively flat body portion adapted to be connected to and substantially only cover that portion of the sole of the shoe beneath the toes and having 5 a concavity at its rear end and a peripheral substantially vertical flange projecting upwardly fromthefront and side edges of said body,==saidjflange being of a height at'said front end of the plate greater than the thickness of the sole of the dancing shoe to which it is adapted to be applie'dand' being adapted to engage'the edge of the sole attlie sides, said flange having a forward portion diverging slightly forwardly .fromthe vertical at the front edge, of the plate so as to leave an openspace-for-resonant purposes between the toe of the shoe and theflange When the plate is attached to the shoe. 7 I

:Intestimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature.

JAMES SELVA. 

